How Many Times UPSC Exam is Conducted in a Year?
By Balaji
Updated on: May 22nd, 2023
UPSC exam is conducted once a year, it is one of the most challenging exams in India and lakhs of candidates appear for this exam every year. In India, it is regarded as a pathway to esteemed positions in civil services. The exam consists of three stages, including a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview. It is essential to start preparing well in advance to increase the chances of success in this exam.
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Frequency of UPSC Exam
The UPSC exam is a national-level competitive exam in India that is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit eligible candidates for various civil services posts. The UPSC examination is widely regarded as a highly esteemed and demanding exam in India, and It serves as an entry point to the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Foreign Service, and various other civil services.
The UPSC exam is conducted once a year, usually in June. The exam is conducted in three stages, i.e. Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. The prelims exam is a screening test that consists of two papers, namely, General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT). The UPSC Mains exam comprises nine papers, including two qualifying papers in any Indian language and English. The interview is the final stage of the exam and is conducted by a panel of experts to assess the candidate’s overall personality.
How Many Times UPSC Exams Are Given?
The number of attempts a candidate can make in an exam depends on UPSC Eligibility criteria, including age limit, category, and relaxation rules. Below are the details regarding the number of attempts for the IAS exam based on different categories:
- General category: General category candidates can appear for the UPSC exam a maximum of six times with an age limit of 32 years.
- OBC category candidates: They can attempt the UPSC exam nine times with an age limit of 35 years.
- SC/ST category candidates: They can attempt the exam as many times as they want until they reach the age limit of 37 years.
- Ex-servicemen: Ex-servicemen can appear for the UPSC exam a maximum of nine times with an age limit of 42 years.
How Many Times UPSC Prelims Exam Been Conducted in a Year?
UPSC Prelims Exam is conducted once a year, usually in June or July. Candidates who qualify in the Prelims are eligible to appear for the Main Exam, which is conducted later in the year. Prelims is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination, and it consists of two papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (also known as the CSAT). Both papers are objective-type tests with multiple-choice questions.
Exams conducted by UPSC
The Union Public Service Commission conducts various exams throughout the year to recruit candidates for different government services in India. Some of the major exams conducted by UPSC in a year are:
- Civil Services Examination
- Engineering Services Examination
- Combined Medical Services Examination
- Indian Forest Service Examination
- Combined Geoscientist and Geologist Examination
- Indian Economic Service Examination
- Central Armed Police Forces Examination
- Indian Statistical Service Examination
There are a few exams that are conducted twice a year. The following are the exams conducted by UPSC twice a year:
- Combined Defence Services Examination
- Naval Academy Examination
- National Defence Academy Examination
Summary:
How Many Times UPSC Exam is Conducted in a Year?
The UPSC Exam is conducted once a year by the Union Public Service Commission. The exam is usually held in the month of June. The entire selection process, including the Prelims, Mains, and interview, takes almost a year to complete. Candidates are required to meet the eligibility criteria and clear each stage of the exam to be considered for selection into various government services in India.
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